Anyone can create an index, right?Not exactly. It is true that anyone with the right software can create a concordance for a book. However, this does not mean that anyone can or should create an index for your publication.

Here's why. A professionally created, custom-made index offers your readers more than a concordance, which is only an alphabetized list of words at the end of a book. The custom-made index is an intuitive map for your readers; it helps readers navigate through your book quickly and efficiently. This is because a professional indexer anticipates the needs of your readers in a way that concordance generating software simply cannot do.Trust a professional indexer. After reading your book, I can create a custom-made index to your specifications with my professional indexing software. This index will give your book even greater appeal in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace. The casual reader and serious researcher alike will return to your book again and again because it contains meaningful information that is easy to locate in its custom-made index.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Indexes and Indexers: What Does This Mean?

Recently I was asked to provide a guest post about indexing on author Mary Moerbe's blog, Meet, Write, and Salutary. Mary is a deaconess for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and she has authored and co-authored several Lutheran publications. Her blog is uniquely geared towards Lutheran authors and other Lutheran professionals involved in the book-making process.

I am re-posting my "nuts and bolts" article about indexing here also. Because this article was written for a specifically Lutheran audience, I use some familiar "Lutheranisms" throughout the article. Enjoy!

Indexers and indexes:
What does this mean?

In the language of Lutheranism, one might say that indexers
love to “read, learn, and inwardly digest” books of all kinds. However, it
doesn’t stop there. They also delight in helping others by organizing the contents
of books.

While it is true that an indexer’s name seldom appears
anywhere in a book, there is no denying that indexers provide an important
service to readers, authors, and publishers alike. For the reader, a book’s
contents and worth are quickly assessed by a well-made index. Accurate and
concise wording in the index give authors “credibility-at-a-glance.” Publishers’
book sales may increase if prospective buyers can browse a book’s index prior
to purchase. These are certainly good reasons for including indexes in the back
of books, but an author may still wonder if it is really necessary to hire a professional
indexer.

On temptation—why
hire a professional indexer

As an author, it is tempting to think that making an index
is no big deal. How hard can it be to make an alphabetized list of keywords
from a book? After all, there are several cheap indexing computer programs
available for purchase (i.e. concordance generating software), and going this
route looks like it will save a few bucks. Besides, what better choice is there
for indexing a book than the author who wrote it? These are a few of the most
common misconceptions concerning indexes and indexers.

On relevance-- what
an index is (and isn’t)

Indexes are easily confused with concordances. Concordances look
like indexes because they are alphabetized lists of keywords with corresponding
page references from a book. However, computer generated concordances are very different
from indexes in at least two ways.

First, a concordance includes every occurrence of each
keyword throughout the book’s text. Page references for these keywords may or
may not lead to relevant information, and thumbing through a concordance begins
to resemble a wild goose chase. Another major difference between concordances and
indexes is that concordances do not include cross references for synonymous
keywords and topics. Only careful textual analysis and human intellect can make
these connections, and this is what freelance indexers are trained to do.

Alternatively, a professionally made index reflects the
author’s intentions and language of the book through an organized list of carefully
selected keywords and synonymous cross references. Their corresponding page
references lead to substantive information because the indexer deliberately
excludes all irrelevant passing mentions for each keyword or cross reference. A
well-crafted index looks less like a utilitarian, disjointed list of keywords
and more like a thoughtful, creative piece of writing.

On identity-- who
indexers are, what they charge, and how to find them

Freelance indexers are a surprisingly large group of
professionals in the publishing industry, many of whom have master’s degrees in
library science and various other subject areas. They are well-versed in the
basics of indexing specifications like those outlined in The Chicago Manual of Style, and they likely own professional
indexing software that allows them to easily create and manipulate indexes in
many different ways. Fees charged by indexers vary, but they are mostly determined
by the complexity of a book and the desired thoroughness and length of its
index.

Indexers are easy to find. Many reputable indexers keep busy
through referrals from satisfied, regular clients. Therefore, it makes sense to
begin your search by asking your publisher, editor, or other reputable authors
for a list of preferred indexers with whom they work. Another way to find an
indexer is through professional indexing societies or editorial organizations.
Examples of these include American Society for Indexers and Editorial Freelancers Association .
Keep in mind indexers pay for their individual directory listings on these
websites, and they are by no means exhaustive lists or indicators of quality of
service.

Summary

Most non-fiction books benefit from indexes because they
make a book’s content easier to access. This helps readers, authors, and publishers
in various ways. Indexes are not concordances, and because of this index
writing is a more complex process than it at first seems. For this reason
alone, it is a good idea to hire a professional indexer. Indexers are not hard
to locate, and they always welcome opportunities to further discuss the merits
of book indexing.